Game over?

WEBSITES offering free versions of classic arcade games such as Space Invaders have been ordered to remove them by an American trade organisation. The move has angered enthusiasts, who say the games of the 1970s and 1980s would not be available at all without the time and effort they have put into keeping them alive.

Lawyers for the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) in Washington DC, a copyright watchdog that represents games companies, have been cracking down on the classic game sites. Until last week, such games were still available from at least one major site, GamePower. But it, too, has now said that it will withdraw its classic game collection.

Classic game enthusiasts are angry about what they see as a misguided enforcement effort. "It makes no sense to me," says the operator of Dave's Classics, a site that housed one of the largest collections of old games. "If ...

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